Listen and act on the Concerns of the Teachers – MP pleads

A member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education who is also the Honourable Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lambussie constituency in the Upper West Region, has charged the Government to listen to the concerns of striking Teachers.

According to him, what is happening could be described as a national crises because, “our children are going to suffer and the government must not allow this happen to them”.

Dery Edward Kaale-Ewola in an interview with gbcghanaonline.com urged the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Education (MoH), and the Ministry of Labour Relations and other stakeholders to quickly address their grievances amicably.

He noted that, education is paramount and “we must not shake that for anything”.

Mr. Kaale-Ewola singled-out the Sector Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and tasked him, to consider the children before, responding to teachers.

Three Teacher Unions consisting of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and The Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) are currently on an indefinite strike.

The nationwide industrial action commenced effectively on Monday, December 9, 2019 over a number issues including payment of arrears.

Arrears, they said have been approved for payment by the Controller and Accountant General’s Internal Audit Unit but the monies are yet to be released to them.

The groups have also described as sad, the inability of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Public Services Commission to facilitate their promotions.

According to the NAGRAT for instance, the failure of the Public Service Commission to amend their records has led to delays in promotional interviews.

For CCT, they have been demanding that the GES promote teachers who are due for promotion and upgrade salaries of teachers who are due for the same.

They again appealed to GES to reinstate their members who were sent away for minor offences and others who are first-time offenders.

They made these public at a joint press conference in Accra.

Source: Francis Edzorna Mensah